A few weeks ago, I started working with a new client. She’s an independent business owner who loves details and staying informed. Unfortunately, her primary source was a Facebook group that took her down a “rabbit hole” or scrolling. Two hours later she would emerge only to feel frustrated and more frazzled about her lack of understanding and productivity.

In order to create more structure and boundaries around her social media usage, I asked her what the ideal amount of time was to spend on each platform. She acknowledged that after 15-minutes, she was done with her updates and communication. Here is her custom Facebook Diet:

1) Two 15-minute Sessions on Facebook

2) Timer Starts at Log In

3) Usage Stops on Alarm or Before

4) Unused Time Cannot Be Banked or Applied to Other Sessions

5) Session Times Tracked on a Shared Google Sheet

As someone who enjoys structure and rules, she loved this process. On the first day she only spent a combined four minutes on the Facebook group. The next day was 12. I asked her for feedback on the process after the third day.

“No rabbit holes! I’m focused and engaged in my business. I use the Facebook group to note any topics I need to research later.”

What she found was that after the core awareness, the scrolling became distracting chatter that no longer added value. If a topic was important, others would comment, and the post would make its way to the top of the page.

Today I shared this tactic with another client who was struggling with the time-sucking effects of Facebook. She loved the idea and is starting today. Her one addition to the Facebook Diet is that she starts on her business page and will only check the flagged alerts and messages on her personal page. She is also removing the Facebook app from her phone, but adding the Facebook Business app.

If you’re needing a little more structure around your social media. Try this or customize it to your business functions.

If you're wondering why we didn't pull social media all together, we agreed that these platforms are critical for promotion, connection and education when used appropriately. The Facebook Diet is not a punishment, but a reorganization of time and priorities.